Contact Us

Our headquarters are situated in the historic town of East Grinstead on the same site as The Queen Victoria Hospital, the home of plastic surgery in the UK. The clinic is close to Gatwick airport and only approx 45 minutes from London by train. Situated within the world famous McIndoe Hospital, we offer a friendly, affordable yet exclusive service with easy, secure parking.

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We would love to keep you updated on exciting clinic news, VIP events, Special offers and clinic discounts. We will always treat your personal details with the utmost care and we will never sell them on to other companies!

Locations

Our headquarters are situated in the historic town of East Grinstead on the same site as The Queen Victoria Hospital, the home of plastic surgery in the UK. The clinic is close to Gatwick airport and only approx 45 minutes from London by train. Situated within the world famous McIndoe Hospital, we offer a friendly, affordable yet exclusive service with easy, secure parking. We also run additional skin health clinics in Sussex, Kent and Surrey (including Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks, Haywards Heath, Brighton, Worthing and in central London).

Clinic Locations

UV Photoprotection

Protecting your skin against the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation is an absolutely essential part of maintaining skin health. UV radiation is not only the biggest cause of premature ageing but it is also implicated in skin cancer formation. Excessive exposure to UV radiation from the sun must be kept to a minimum although it is important to know that some exposure is required to help your skin produce Vitamin D.

The key message is that ultraviolet radiation is a potent source of oxygen free radicals which are the molecules that set off a dangerous chain reaction in the skin that ultimately leads to collagen & elastin breakdown and DNA damage.

Use of PHOTOPROTECTANTS (traditionally termed sunscreens, sun creams, SPFs) are therefore essential to block the harmful effects of UV light. However, topical ANTIOXIDANTS should be also to be used to minimise free radical damage too.

The photoprotection story actually is not that simple, however, and the latest photobiology research suggests that infrared and visible light might also contribute to the ageing process too. Therefore a ‘broad-brush’ approach to photoprotection should be used.

Types of SPF UV protectants

Mr Banwell and his team strongly recommend you use the very best SPFs possible to protect your skin and to be safe in the sun.

Remember there are two main types of sun creams – chemical and mineral. The main difference is that chemical sun care products contain UV filtering ingredients that take time to be absorbed by the skin – hence people using the 20 minute rule before sun exposure. By contrast, mineral sunscreens contain inert UV protective ingredients such as zinc or titanium oxide and form a protective barrier on top of the skin – these have an immediate effect.

We find that mineral SPFs do not irritate the skin but sometimes chemical sunscreens can cause sensitivities and reactions. Zinc is also anti-inflammatory and does not block pores. Unfortunately we know that the downside of mineral SPFs is that they used to be very thick and white but newer preparations are more ‘cosmetically elegant’ (micronized forms) and become transparent when applied – they are even available in spray format too!

To purchase photoprotectants and sun protection factors (SPFs) in Sussex, Kent, Surrey and London please phone The Banwell Clinic on 01342 330302 now. We stock a wide range of SPFs for patients living in East Grinstead, Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Haywards Heath, Horsham, Brighton, Guildford, Caterham, Chichester, Worthing and London.

Expert Comment

“The scientific field of photobiology is advancing rapidly. UV protection in all it’s forms is essential for our skin both from an anti-ageing perspective but also to help prevent skin cancer.”

The term ‘SPF’ is strictly misleading because they should not just be used when the sun is out but instead on a daily basis regardless of the weather. The bottom line is that the harmful effects of UV radiation occur even when it is cloudy. So wear your UV protection daily come rain or shine!

In winter months when the sun is not shining a once daily application is probably sufficient. However, when the sun is out and the weather is warm, UV protection should be applied twice daily or even more if you are in and out of water.

The photoprotection story is actually quite complex. As we have discussed, UV-A and UV-B protection (as found in most traditional ‘sunscreen’ SPFs) is mandatory on a daily basis but also daily use of topical anti-oxidants is recommended too. One of our team can recommend a selection of high quality serums for you. There are also a number of other beneficial products called photoimmunoprotectants available on the market such as niacinamide (niacin, nicotinamide, vitamin B3) and resveratrol.

There are many approaches to take to get your skin into the best possible condition. Starting off with photoprotectants and topical anti-oxidants, as we have discussed, is crucial but there are many other topical ‘active’ ingredients that can also be incorporated into your daily skin care regime (eg. Vitamin A, hydroxyacids, etc) as well as other non-surgical treatments such as bespoke facials using microdermabrasion and enzyme reactivators. Please feel free to ask one our of team for further information.

The introduction of superfluids into medical skin care formulations will revolutionise the world of photoprotection. This new approach allows high SPF protection and inclusion of additional actives but in half the volume. We are fortunate to one of the first clinics in the UK to make this technology available to our patients.

Prices Start at £24

Patient Testimonial

Brilliant to get expert advice about UV protection…

“It was brilliant to get expert advice about UV protection! I now understand that SPF and other products need to be used daily and not just when the sun is out! Thank you for all your help and advice!”

“It was brilliant to get expert advice about UV protection! I now understand that SPF and other products need to be used daily and not just when the sun is out! Thank you for all your help and advice!”